Torak's Child
by icanneverfindmyname
Summary: In the new forest, as the sun starts to rise. Torak's child is born. In the new forest when the stars started going out, Torak's child was taken away by a crazed wolverine and as the final star went out Renn was taken. And Torak, overcome by misery and separate from Wolf has to get them back, with the clock ticking for him, for his child and for Wolf. Skip straight to Chapter 1.
1. The wolverine

Torak sat in the glow of the fire. A dark lock of hair brushed his cheek as he repeatedly plunged the water skin into the river. In the shelter he had hurriedly constructed Renn screamed until her cries sent Ripp and Rek flying away. She had collapsed next to the river clutching her swollen stomach and Torak had no choice but to build around her.

Again Renn screamed and Torak crawled next to her and desperately tried to remember what Renn had done when one of the bluejays had given birth. All he could recall was lots of flustered women and water was needed, he was told to stay out of the way and ended up talking to the mate.

" It's coming !" Renn yelled again , the vein in her neck sticking out. Wolf would be better help than I am Torak thought as he clutched Renn's hand, but Wolf had gone hunting along with Darkfur and the rest of his pack, which had increased in size enormously since they had left the old forest. Suddenly Wolf's howl rang out through the forest telling Torak they were coming back , it seemed to calm Torak and remembered that Renn and had told him to keep her breathing.

"breath!" he blurted out. Slowly Renn's chest entered a steady pattern of in out int out.

A crashing announced Wolf's return. Even through her pain Renn caught his eye that reflected his question.

"why is it only Wolf?" Wolf always brought up the rear since Nipper had lost to cub to a river. Their question was soon answered when they heard Wolf's bark

"Uff !" danger

Torak turned to crawl out of the tent when suddenly Renn screamed through her panting

" Torak! Help me!"

Propping up on her elbows Renn held out her hands,her face was pale and shimmered in the glow of the fire ; Torak thought she had never looked more beautiful than when she took her baby boy into her hands and whispered

"tell me the name of your father,Torak for that is your son's name."

"Neto."

"Neto" Renn echoed brushing her finger tips along his prominent cheek bones.

Whatever Renn was about to say was cut off by another one of Wolf's urgent warnings. Torak was about to go outside and ask him about it when a wolverine crashed into the tent,it's eyes ablaze with fury. Renn screamed and tucked Neto into her chest as she backed away , Torak stood there dumb, remembering when the bear had come for his father. He had been twelve summers old then and he wasn't now. He reached for his knife that lay in a pile with the rest of his and Renn's gear. He whirled around brandishing the blade when the wolverine ripped open Renn's arm and snatched the bundle of cloth that contained Neto.

" No!" Renn and Torak yelled in unison. Leaping to his feet Torak sprinted after the wolverine as it ran into the trees.

Torak heard Wolf running behind him and pushed his legs even faster. Wolf streaked past him on the heels of the wolverine , like Torak had with Nipper's cub , wolf was trying to save Torak's . Slowly they got further away from Torak until eventually a branch came out of nowhere and smacked into Torak's forehead . He sprawled onto the ground and watched Wolf melt into the trees.

Torak's thighs were burning as he staggered to his feet, Neto's fate was with Wolf and Renn was alone and injured, he had no choice but to get back to her. He looked around for his knife when suddenly Renn's voice carried towards him

"Torak! Hel-"

Forgetting his pain Torak left his knife and ran back. He burst into the wrecked and empty camp as Wolf's cry of defeat carried over the trees.


	2. The figure

Renn peered into the bundle in her arms. A baby's face looked up at her, a small scratch traced his jaw line. Following the pattern with her fingers Renn seethed with anger.

Only the night before she was cradling her child safe, her mate by her side and a loyal wolf guarding her clan from the animals lurking in the dense trees. She was about to suggest Neto's became Torak's clan -all forest- when the wolverine had burst into the shelter. Neto was snatched from her arms ,leaving her with an ugly wound in her arm. Torak had sprinted after them and Wolf close behind. She was sure that despite Torak's shaken state and Wolf's age they would catch her baby. She focused on tying up her arm stopping the flow of blood; leaving her oblivious to the approaching she heard the footsteps approaching Renn was too scared to speak it wasn't the familiar tread of Torak nor the patter of the pack.

Silently Renn had slid her fingers towards the hilt of her knife that had been kicked aside by Torak as he leapt up. It was just out of her reach. trying to make as little noise as possible Renn stood up and precariously walked over to her knife. Through the animal hide the silhouette of a small person stood still. Immediately Renn froze remembering the tokoroths she had encountered in the old forest. Regaining concentration her fingers closed around the hilt and a wave of relief washed through Renn. She held the knife up and in doing so her injured arm knocked against her bow. A hiss escaped from between her clenched teeth and the silhouette started.

"who are you?" Renn had whispered shaking from fatigue. The figure didn't reply, again Renn asked and again she got no answer. Frozen into her position Renn waited anticipating a movement. Suddenly without warning the figure leapt towards her, screaming Torak's name Renn realised she had been surrounded as a branch crashing into her cut off her cries.

Waking up Renn realised she was in a pitch black cave. She felt a presence in the room and was about to call out when the cry of a baby stopped her. Almost expecting a reply Renn called out Neto. Flailing round in the dark Renn's fingers caught in shredded cloth. Closing her hand around it Renn felt it shake as another cry pierced the darkness. Happiness overtook her and she clutched the baby closer. Slowly her eyes adjusted to the darkness and although she had only known it for a few seconds the face streaked with tears and grime rang with familiarity. Torak's eyes , her cheekbones ,Finn-keddin's nose, there was no doubt in Renn's mind.

"Neto." she croaked her mouth dry " Neto.' she repeated. Tears slid down her cheeks one splashing onto Neto's hand as he reached up to her face bubbling .

"ma's here. It's okay ." Renn repeated not sure who she was comforting.

Following the scratch on his jaw line, Renn seethed with anger. Whoever had done this, whoever had been controlling the wolverine and had taken her away from Torak was going to pay. Mustering up her courage her voice rang through the darkness

"who are you?" like the silhouette the cave remained silent, the only reply was the whimpering of Neto. Soothing him Renn squinted into the oblivion. A feeling of being watched gripped her and Renn tightened her grip on the rags enclosing Neto.

A familiar clicking came through the darkness. Suddenly a spark lit up and and torch burst into life. Flames wavered backing away from the person that held the brand. Crouched on the ground her back pressed again the cool rock Renn looked directly into the face of her capture and tried to get her words out.

"oh Renn ." the raspy voice chuckled "you used to have a lot more to say."

" how do you know me?" the words came out.

"why, a couple , one of whom can talk to the wolves, coming over the mountains ... all the clans have heard if you, especially since you helped out with the bluejays."

Renn remembered her early moons of pregnancy when she had rested with the bluejays and had been roped in to helping with a birth. It had been terrifying to know that she would have to go through that. She had confided with the clan leader who had many children and she had comforted her. Seeing the realisation in her eyes the stranger continued.

"the bluejays weren't to be trusted they sing everything that goes on, it gets a little tedious sometimes."

"what do you want!?"

"surely you know," a stone dropped in Renn's stomach

"a man who can talk to wolves and a pregnant woman, Renn your baby is the child of a spirit walker! Mixed with an elemental I will haven the most powerful tokoroth in the whole forest!" the stranger blew out the torch plunging Renn back into darkness.

Renn heard the stranger depart and tried to follow but it all seemed too much. Instead she lay there trying to stop sleep from entering.

**please review even if it's hate that way i can improve. if you think its good enough and it to favourites. Thanks.**


	3. Wolf

Wolf did not feel right,he ran through the trees, each breath he took burnt his throat like he had drunk the-Bright-Beast-that-bites. He felt drained ,running after a wolverine should not of tired him! His paws struck a branch and he stumbled. Frustrated, he grabbed the branch in his jaws and smashed it against a tree, letting every bit of his despair out. Each satisfying crack lessened the pain at losing the Tall-tailess's cub.

Eventually Wolf stopped. Tall-tailess needed him, shaking off the splinters of wood from his greying pelt, Wolf returned to the clearing. As he approached he heard the agitated whining of the cubs and a strange sound that Wolf had never heard before. Hesitantly Wolf crept forward his ears slicked back. Crawling into the clearing Wolf cast his eyes around for the source of the noise, it seemed to be coming from Tall-tailess. Bounding forward Wolf leapt up at Tall-tailess expecting him to fall over and make his equally strange yip-yapping. Instead tall-tailess ignored Wolf and buried his head between his knees.

"what's wrong?" asked Wolf, gaining no answer and not intending to give up Wolf stuck his head between Tall-Tailess,s knees. Nose to nose Wolf saw little fast-wets running down Tall-tailesss's cheeks. Licking them off he bounced backwards expecting that to be the problem, he himself hating getting wet. When that failed Wolf searched the clearing for the pack-sister. He saw the rest of the pack bunched together watching but no pack-sister. Wo;f realised he missed something and , pushing away the reason, he sniffed around for her scent.

He found it but it was mixed in with a bad smell one that the deamond cubs in the old forest had carried. A stone dropped in Wolf's stomach ; the pack sister was weak and in danger while Tall-tailess was not moving and not responding to Wolf's pleads. It was up to him to save the day.


	4. The Choice

Torak awoke. Where was he? He rolled over from lying on his side and saw the bright blue sky. He shot up and looked around.

"Renn!" he couldn't see her anywhere "Neto!" Staggering to his feet he headed down the bank to see if they were by the river, they weren't.

Climbing back up he surveyed the camp and that's when he remembered, the wrecked shelter, his pile of dirt covered gear , the absence of his clan. They were gone, some possessed animal or thing had taken them away from him, he had to find them or spend his life trying. He wasn't sure how much time he had before whatever was planned for them took place, it was only a week away from when the red-eye was highest an dthe time when deamonds were at their strongest. Quickly he grabbed his sleeping sack and other gear and began to prepare for the search.

It took too long of the little time Torak had to find all his gear as he had to treck down his knife from among the thicket of trees. Now came the heart wrenching decision, the wolverine had taken Neto one way towards the Valleys and Renn had been taken towards the mountains, or at least that's what her blood trailing along the trees suggested. If he went after Renn, Neto wouldn't survive long without his ma's breast milk and Renn would kill him if he let Neto die; if he went after Neto, there was no way to tell if he could find Renn fast enough before Neto died of starvation. I'll ask Wolf he thought when it struck him , Wolf had disappeared, Torak hadn't seen him all day. At the hardest moment of his life Wolf wasn't here.


	5. Chapter 1

Basically, I re-read what I wrote a while ago and did not like it, at all. So I re-wrote it. So this is chapter one with a mix of chapter 2. I recommend reading because I've changed a bit and it's much better. I hope.

* * *

Screams echoed around the clearing before they were lost in the thick trees surrounding it. Ripp and Rek had flown away, cawing, and were quickly followed by the pack. Wolf had pleaded with Torak saying his growing pack needed the food. Torak had let him go- although he knew they had only wanted to get away and weren't that hungry. Like him. Only he couldn't.

Torak crouched next to the fire he had quickly built in his star shaped pattern. But he had no time to relax by it and tell stories while his meal cooked. The warmth the warmth the fire radiated didn't reach him, instead he faced the other extreme. He shuddered with cold as he repeatedly plunged his hand into the icy water, letting the current wash the torn fabric he clutched with white knuckles. Frustration marked his face, and silently he willed Wolf back. He needed his pack-brother to help him get through this. In the shelter he had hurriedly constructed Renn screamed until her cries sent Ripp and Rek flying away. She had collapsed next to the river clutching her swollen stomach and Torak had no choice but to build around her.

Again Renn screamed and Torak crawled next to her and desperately tried to remember what Renn had done when one of the Bluejays had given birth. All he could recall was lots of flustered women and water was needed, he was told to stay out of the way and ended up talking to the mate.

" It's coming !" Renn yelled again , the vein in her neck sticking out. Wolf would be better help than I am Torak thought as he clutched Renn's hand, but Wolf had gone hunting along with Darkfur and the rest of his pack, which had increased in size enormously since they had left the old forest. Suddenly Renn's static breathing became even more desperate and her grip on Torak's hand became as painful as having your hand trapped on a rock and Torak was hurtled into a long night of pain, sweat, tears and blood. Around midnight the wind had started blowing and caved in part of the feeble roof. Neither of them had noticed and Renn had continued her hellish birth., but the hole on the roof allowed a bit of cool to come through, drying up a bit of the sweat that coated them both.

Around dawn, as the last few stars were disappearing into the red clouds that shrouded the sun their baby was born. Quickly Torak picked up the pre-prepared cloths and bundled the baby up in them whilst Renn finished off the birth. Slowly, cradling the baby in his arms he turned to Renn. Joy lit up her eyes and she held out her hands. Ceremoniously he placed the baby in her pale arms and she pulled it into her chest, tears trickling down her face as the baby screamed it's way into life by taking its first breath.

"What is it?" He murmured, moving closer and putting his arm round her shoulders as she checked.  
"A boy." She choked  
"A boy." He repeated, taking it in. I have a son, a son. Someone he could teach how to track, the ways of the wolves, someone to bind him and Renn together in the strongest way. He was going to be a Pa. The smile on his face couldn't be broken and was only made wider when he heard Wolf bound into the clearing, loudly announcing his return. Completing the family he had built. Four summers ago a boy had been ripped apart from his Fa, his last remaining family, and a world of secrets, legends, death and evil had been thrown at him. Somehow, with the help of the beautiful woman sitting next to him, he had made it through and was complete once again, the hole in his heart that belonged to his Fa finally filled in with his son. Who Torak would never leave, and silently, whilst Renn cooed at the baby, Torak thought  
" I swear an oath, on my three souls that _my son_ will always be protected by me. That I will let no harm come to him, that I will be the best Fa and give him a life in this forest."  
Sometimes Torak was positive that he didn't even need to speak to tell Wolf what he was feeling. Cheekily Wolf shoved his head into the tent, his eyes alert. Laughing Torak shoved his head out then followed through to greet Wolf and share their joy. Together, like brothers, they wrestled and rolled around on the carpet of grass. Hurriedly Wolf told him how he had rushed back to them so fast that the rest of the pack, who had a successful hunt, hadn't been able to keep up. Torak was mid-reply when Wolf stiffened.  
_What?_ he asked, recognising the look on Wolf's face. Before any of them could react a humongous Wolverine burst through the clearing and headed straight for the shelter. It tore into it, gnashing it's teeth and through the gaps in it, Torak could see it snatch up the baby, leaving long scratch marks down Renn's arms, and tear out of the clearing, melting into the trees. The second after it had disappeared from sight, Torak and Wolf were after it, their thoughts linking together towards one aim, getting the baby back.

Torak pumped his limbs as fast as humanly possibly, heavily panting but the sleepless night was seriously affecting him, making his legs feel as if they were running through rock. The wolverine had left a clear path through the forest, broken twigs, plants bent backwards and footprints. His boots were bouncing off the ground before they had barely touched it but Wolf still streaked ahead, almost on heels of the Wolverine. The cries of the baby echoed around the trees pushing Torak faster. It was the fastest he had ran in his life. Then his foot went slamming into a root, catching his heel and knocking him over. He landed on all fours, grazing his hands, his legs feeling like they had fallen off. He had too little energy to the cries of the baby melted in the forest leaving Torak on his own recovering life. He closed his eyes listening to the blood rush around his head. Leaving Wolf, his pack-brother, to save his child.

Gradually his energy seeped back into his bones and his head only swam a little when he eventually pulled himself to his feet. He took one step in no direction, then realised that he had no idea what to do. Track the wolverine and help Wolf or go back to Renn, without their son and tell her that he had no idea if Wolf was going to succeed. His earlier oath came back into his mind, when a scream that he would recognise anywhere came hurtling through the trees and hit him with full force.

Renn.

* * *

Renn had been filled with happiness so strong that she felt nothing could ruin it. After a life of stares and whispers from the other Ravens, making her feel like an outsider, an outcast like Torak someone who would never belong if she wasn't the mage she finally had something normal. A pack, not a clan anymore. Her pack. Her, Torak, Wolf, Darkfur, Ripp, Reck, the other wolves. And now her son. Torak's presence beside sent a warm a glow to her marrow, Wolf's leaps of joy outside the shelter sent a smile onto her face. When Torak had gone to let out his bundled up energy with Wolf, Renn had silently stared at the child, memorising every single feature of his face. Then something had made her throat catch, something, a mark in his iris. She peered closer into the tiny green eyes and what looked like a...

A wolverine leapt into the shelter, she was too shocked to scream as its teeth ripped the baby out of her cradling arms and bounded away. Immediately her world came crashing down, smashing itself over her head so that all she could hear was the crashing noise of her heart. She barely saw Torak and Wolf on the heels of the wolverine all she saw was the red pouring out of her arm and staining her sleeping sack. Her frantic thoughts were scattered and all she did was silently scream, trapped inside a body that would not get up and chase her entire world. Eventually, when the pain from her arm began to attack, she staggered over to their healing supplies and started to bandage her arm. She was so focused on that, trying to block out everything that the approaching footsteps didn't alert her of danger. Until it was too late. She looked up, a cloth clutched in her hand and through the giant rips in the shelter's walls, she saw a small figure. If it was Torak he wouldn't be standing there. No, it wasn't Torak. Gingerly, trying to make as little noise as possible, she got to her feet, keeping the figure in her vision. Hesitantly, checking the statue every time she moved, she tiptoed over to the pile of weapons that had been useless when the wolverine had come. Her fingers reached for the handle of her knife, her bow being too far away. Holding her breath she drew it out from under Torak's, wincing as it made a slight grating sound. She let out a relived sigh when it was firmly in her grasp.

Now fully, concentrated on the figure, she tried to deduce all she could about them using only the shadow they cast and the bruised arm that was visible through a rip in the tent. It was tiny, it took a few seconds before her brain connected the dots, a tokoroth. Which meant there were more, and some other powerful force and not just a crazed wolverine. Well, Torak and Wolf were hunting down the baby, it was up to her to protect herself. She took a step forward and emerged from the tent to be faced with a child, like she had been expecting. What she didn't expect was to recognise the child. Or the little child that still remained, chained up, inside the body haunted by demons.  
" Selima" She said speaking to the happy child running around the Bluejay's camp playing with all her friends, hoping that she could go against everything she knew and the child inside would fight off the demons. The she remembered something The Mage had said when she had asked her about tokoroths, the summer the illness had struck the forest. The child is kept in a cave, in its own filth and fed rotten bat, until it forgets it's name. She could not appeal to the terrified child inside. Then she knew she had made another mistake, a tokoroth would not just stand outside her shelter when she was facing it. She had walked right into a trap. She screamed as a branch flew towards her and cut off her cries.

* * *

Torak was sprinting back towards the clearing, his heart in his mouth. Feeling the same as when, last winter when he had seen Wolf, lying frozen in the shelter of the rock. That feeling, when you don't know how bad a situation is but the easiest thing to do is to give up. His brain cast that thought aside and for the seconded time before the sun even came up his muscles were pushed to the most they could handle, adrenalin coursing through his veins. .A few stars remained in the sky but the light came from the morning sun that cast shadows that created places where dangers could hide, and had hidden. Tears pooled at the corner of his eyes until eventually he burst into the clearing. The shelter was destroyed and footprints surrounded it. As he had expected but had tried to ignore, when her cries halted half way through his mad sprint , Renn was gone. Taken, like his son, like his life just after he had fixed the final broken part. The last star went out in the sky as Wolf's cry of defeat echoed round the forest and Torak drowned in a whirlpool of misery.


End file.
